Hard man Kahn softens in glow of Germany's respect

Oliver Kahn was the subject of arguably the best quotation of the last World Cup. After Germany had scraped through the quarter-final in Ulsan against the USA, Franz Beckenbauer said: "Kahn apart, you could take all of them, put them in a bag and hit them with a stick. Whoever got hit would deserve it."

Yesterday in Berlin Kahn came up with a remark that might take some beating this time around. Asked about his rising popularity in Germany despite his decreasing input, Kahn acknowledged the truth of the question and said: "It's now dawning on me that I was a bit uptight." The hall rumbled.

As a non-playing substitute in Jürgen Klinsmann's squad, Kahn is performing a role akin to mentor for the younger players and it appears to be one he is pleasantly surprised about.

"I marvel at the respect I am being given," he said. "I had always wanted to earn that respect through my work as a goalkeeper but now I am getting respect for contenting myself by sitting on the bench. It's very positive what is happening to me.

"From a mental and character point of view, I had always wanted to be the strongest. My prime objective was to achieve, to win titles, but it's now dawning on me that I was a bit uptight and that it's OK if I let my hair down every now and then. I'm growing into my new role as team motivator."

It is an admission that few anywhere ever imagined hearing from Kahn. This, after all, is the man even Germany fans call The Gorilla. In the past Bayern Munich's opponents' supporters have pelted Kahn with bananas. His political views are said to make Norman Tebbit sound wishy-washy and he has never been accused of low self-esteem.

So to hear this Teuton go all touchy-feely was unnerving. But then Kahn, now 37, is dealing with a new reality. At the last World Cup he went unbeaten for eight hours as he shielded Germany all the way to the final. Once there in Yokohama he spilled the ball for Ronaldo to score and went home a tearless loser.

But Kahn was voted, ahead of Ronaldo, player of the tournament and there could be no doubting, certainly not from him, Kahn's status. Four years on, though, and Kahn has been displaced. He remains arguably the biggest player in German football but he is now second-choice behind his nemesis, Jens Lehmann, and will again be a substitute tomorrow against Argentina.

Kahn's minor dig at Klinsmann at the weekend for preferring Lehmann has been the only public show of dissent in the German camp. Yet Klinsmann at every opportunity has praised Kahn's work behind the scenes. Klinsmann's message of reconciliation must be getting through because from Kahn yesterday there was even a hint of a thaw in his glacial relationship with Lehmann.

Could he could foresee a day when he and Lehmann would "have a few beers"? Kahn replied: "I first want to say that he has had a fantastic tournament. He has been cool and calm and Germany have not conceded a goal in three matches.

"As for our personal relationship, it's a difficult thing. Looking back at 2002, I remember that goalkeepers inhabit their own particular world, we have tunnel vision. That does not put you in a mood to get together with team-mates for a beer, or with anyone bar your family. But I don't mind that. I think it's just a matter of time before our relationship begins to loosen up a bit - at last."

German journalists were sufficiently struck by this new tone to wonder aloud about whether Kahn considers himself management material. He prevaricated, saying that he has two years left on his contract with Bayern. Besides, the World Cup is his focus.

"Anyone who is content to sit on the bench should be put on a plane home. Of course I am frustrated but I make a great point of not showing it. I would like to be judged on the inner strength I have shown. Even I see there is something special in the air, a special spirit in the squad. Hopefully there are even greater things to come."

Messi benchmark

Argentina's Lionel Messi has played much of his football from the bench so far in the tournament but the 19-year-old Barcelona player remains confident he can make an impact on the competition.

"I don't give up. If I play, I'll do it in the best way because I don't know if I'll play another World Cup. I enjoy each day, each moment and that makes this my best World Cup, because I don't know if I'll play another one," he said.

Messi insisted that the whole of the Argentina squad are behind the starting XI, whoever they are. "We're here to do the best whether we can play and support the others or whether we have to be on the bench," he added.